The Battle of Narvik

The battle of Narvik, from 9 April to 10 June 1940, was an international campaign of terrible proportions, which would have far-reaching repercussions for the outcome of the war. Dietl’s mountain troops; the traitor Sundlo; the Norwegian 6th division; the civilian population of Narvik and in the villages around the iron ore hub; the British forces with the rivalry among its generals; the French Foreign Legionnaires; and the Polish forces taking the southern flank—all participated in this enormous, brutal campaign.

After 62 desperate days of fierce battle and staggering losses, both military and civilian, Northern Norway was evacuated even though the German forces hadn’t been forced into capitulation. Battle-hardened Norwegian officers wept when they saw that the blood spilled had been in vain.

Asbjørn Jaklin gives us the story as it happened day by day. From an enormous archive of diaries, letters and reports, he tracks the individual players on both sides in a sweeping historical panorama. The book also contains maps, timelines and lists of the names of all participants. is essential reading for all history connoisseurs.